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digital
tools and references
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| Contour
Machining |
Capability: The prismatic and contour machining
manufacturing software package is one of five integrated and scalable CAD
and computer-aided manufacturing software packages offered by the developer
to complement that company's I-Deas 8 collaborative engineering software.
The package includes all capabilities for prismatic and contour machining
of native or imported solid, surface, or curve geometry, as well as high-end
integrated and associated machining. The software provides 2-D drafting and
3-D solid and surface design with an integrated 3-axis machining application.
Users also have access to 2.5- and 3-axis machining tools for facing, profiling,
pocketing, and drilling. These tools are fully integrated with the main software
application. No data translation is required.
Hardware: PC running Windows 95, 98, 2000, or NT.
Developer: Structural Dynamics Research Corp., 2000 Eastman Dr., Milford,
OH 45150-2740; (513) 576-2400; fax (513) 576-2558; www. sdrc.com.
Cost: $14,000.
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| Graphing
and Analysis |
Capability: The student version
of OriginLab is a graphing and analysis software application available to
students enrolled in an accredited, degree-granting institution in the United
States or Canada. Students can use the software to create graphs for lab
reports and presentations. The software includes the ability to import many
data forms, to directly open and use Excel workbooks within the software,
and to customize graph attributes and create personalize templates. Analysis
features include linear and nonlinear curve fitting, baseline and peak analysis,
and descriptive statistics. While saving an Origin project, the student version
is limited to 10 windows, which are fewer than the full-scale version allows.
Hardware: Windows 95, 98, 2000, or NT.
Developer: OriginLab, One Roundhouse Plaza, Northampton, MA 01060;
(413) 586-2013; fax (413) 585-0126; www.originlab.com.
Cost: $99.
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| Multi-
physics Modeling |
Capability: Femlab 2.0, which now
includes 3-D capabilities, can model equations in any dimension that a scientist
or engineer describes with partial differential equations. Users can create
and analyze models in 3-D. By use of the software's dynamic solvers, engineers
can include a time dimension in their models. An enhanced graphical user
interface and upgraded tools, which enhance 3-D multiphysics modeling as
well as the software's underlying solvers and multidimensional visualization
tools, allow users to create model geometries and solve them on desktop computers
in a relatively short time.
Hardware: PC with Matlab 5.3 and running Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0.
Versions are also available for Solaris, Linux, AIX, Digital Unix,
Hewlett-Packard-UX, and Irix.
Developers: Comsol, 8 New England Executive Park, Suite 310, Burlington,
MA 01803; (781) 273-3322; (781) 273-6603; www.comsol.com; www.femlab.com.
Cost: Single-user license, $3,995.
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| Many-Noded
Analysis |
Capability: LapFEA release 5 is
finite element modeling and analysis software that features an increase in
capacity from 5,000 to 30,000 nodes. The greater capacity allows engineers
and designers to complete complex finite element modeling, analysis, and
postprocessing projects that previously could not be carried out using the
software application. The upgrade in nodal capacity lets users represent
more details within a design. Smaller versions of the software, featuring
20,000, 10,000, 5,000, or 1,000 nodes, are available.
 LapFEA
software from Lapcad Engineering allows complex finite element modeling and
analysis requiring as many as 30,000 nodes.
Hardware: PC running Windows 95, 98, 2000, or NT, or PowerMac OS 7.5
and higher.
Developer: Lapcad Engineering, 8305 Vickers St., Suite 202, San Diego,
CA 92111; (858) 467-1947; lapcad@aol. com; www.lapcad.com.
Cost: Release 5 is $1,999. The 20,000-nodal version is $1,499, the
10,000-nodal version is $899, the 5,000-nodal version is $499, and the
1,000-nodal version is $99. Release 4 license holders can upgrade for $99.
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| Web
Page Creation |
Capability: The 3D Instant Website
software allows SolidWorks users to create and publish live Web pages that
include interactive, three-dimensional content. Such Web-page creation allows
design team members to communicate design ideas and updates via the Internet.
Design team members might include designers, manufacturing personnel, outside
vendors, purchasing agents, marketing departments, and customers. SolidWorks
customers can publish designs either to a SolidWorks-hosted Web site or to
a company intranet. Users can publish the interactive 3-D imagines with one
mouse click. Viewers can view, rotate, zoom, and pan the 3-D models. The
software supports several standard 3-D interactive viewing formats.
Hardware: PC with Internet browser and SolidWorks software.
Developer: SolidWorks, 300 Baker Ave., Concord, MA 01742; (978) 371-5000;
fax (978) 371-5088; www. solidworks.com.
Cost: Free to SolidWorks customers using service pack 8 or later.
All future shipments of SolidWorks software will include 3D Instant Website.
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| CAD
Translation |
Capability: CAD verter.com version
4 is an Internet-based CAD data translation service for CAD and CAM users.
The service links the developer's engineering data exchange capabilities
to CAD and CAM users via the Web. Users go to the developer's Web site and
access the translation application in order to send and receive mechanical
design data generated in many leading mechanical CAD, CAM, or computer-aided
engineering software applications. The site can translate information from
88 software packages.
Hardware: PC with Internet access.
Developer: Theorem Solutions, 6279 Tri-Ridge Blvd., Suite 220, Loveland,
OH 45140; (513) 576-1100; www.theorem-usa.com.
Cost: $50 per translation to start.
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| Two-
Dimensional Drafting |
Capability: SmartSketch 3.0 LE
is a modular, two-dimensional, precision drafting, diagramming, and drawing
software that includes parametric drawing capability. Six industry- and
task-specific modules are available and can be integrated with Microsoft
Office and MathCAD. The drawing tool provides parametric, dimension-driven
design, and includes intuitive drawing features and modular flexibility
applicable to many design, drawing, business diagramming, and technical
illustration tasks. The six optional modules as well as the software itself
can be downloaded via the Web. Modules include CAD translators; electrical
diagramming; process solutions; geometric dimensioning, tolerancing, and
weld symbols, and Web publishing.
Hardware: PC running Windows 95, 98, 2000, and NT.
Developer: Intergraph Process and Building Solutions, GD3007, Hunts-ville,
AL 35894-0001; (800) 260-0246; www.intergraph.com.
Cost: $495. The six modules are: CAD translators, $149; electrical
diagramming, $99; process solutions, $249; geometric dimensioning, tolerancing,
and weld symbols, $49; ImageScape, $99; and Web publishing, $49.
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| Fluid
Dynamics |
Capability: CFX-TASCflow computational
fluid dynamics software features a fully implicit coupled solver. Version
2.10 provides improvements to turbomachinery preprocessing compared with
earlier versions. The software also features a unified environment to allow
multiple component problem setup. A variety of newly added turbulence models
permits users to chose the best model for a specific application for increased
accuracy. A new moving grid capability allows fluid and mechanical interaction
analysis. Transient results can be viewed as animations to provide users
with better interpretations of pressure, temperature, velocity, and other
changes over time than were previously available.
Hardware: Unix or Windows NT operating system.
Developer: AEA Technology Engineering Software, 554 Parkside Dr.,
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 5Z4; (888) 827-2356; fax (519) 886-7580; info@
asc.on.ca; www.software.aeat.com/cfx.
Cost: $22,000 to start.
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| Computer
Design |
Capability: TurboCAD Professional
version 7 is a CAD tool that integrates 2-D and 3-D tools, options, and content.
It is fluent in the industry standard file formats and produces photo-realistic
design results. The interface is streamlined to put the most commonly used
tools before the user. It includes more than 250 2-D and 3-D tools, from
drawing and construction tools to 3-D modeling and rendering tools, which
are grouped logically for user productivity. File sharing capability with
AutoCAD 2000I is included.
Hardware: PC running Windows 95, 98, 2000, or NT 4.0.
Developer: International Microcomputer Software, 75 Rowland Way, Novato,
CA 94945; (415) 257-3000; fax (415) 897-2544; www.imsisoft.com.
Cost: $395.95. |
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| Object
Modeling |
Capability: The shareware software
called 20-sim is used for object-oriented modeling and simulation of dynamic
systems. Features include support of equations, block diagrams, and bond
graphs as well as support of linear, nonlinear, discrete-time, continuous-time,
and hybrid systems. The software includes symbolic code generation and the
ability to carry out hierarchical modeling with unlimited model levels.
Hardware: PC running Windows 95, 98, 2000, or NT 4.0.
Developer: Controllab Products B.V., Drienerlolaan 5 EL-RT, 7522 NB
Enschede, Netherlands; (31) 53-489-3096; fax (31) 53-489-2223; www. 20sim.com.
Cost: Free.
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